This invention relates to protecting a delicate system during an interval of time when the system is subjected to forces that are likely to have a destructive impact on the system. It also relates to a single protection system can protect a plurality of separate fragile elements of a system.
A variety of techniques have been utilized to provide protection for delicate mechanical, electrical or optical systems against potentially destructive forces or mechanical shocks. The techniques available are dependent on the type of systems that require protection and the type of forces or shocks to be protected against. For example, various types of shock absorbing resilient material may be placed in contact with a delicate electrical system to cushion the electrical system and reduce undesired movement/acceleration transmitted to the system.
Delicate optical and mechanical systems, e.g. micro electrical mechanical systems (MEMS), are especially challenging with regard to providing protection against potentially destructive forces and/or shocks. The protection utilized must not obstruct or otherwise degrade the operation of the system during times when the system is operational. However, the protection utilized must be effective during times when the system is potentially subject to the destructive forces and/or shocks. Known protection systems such as for MEMS are an integral fixed part of the system such as by using stops/barriers to limit the amount of travel of movable elements due to unwanted shocks and may utilize active components to counteract unwanted shock induced movement. Although such techniques may be adequate for protection of structures with few moving elements, these techniques are not suitable for other types of structures having a large number of separate, individual, movable elements or very small delicate elements for which suitable protection is difficult, if not impossible, to implement. This due to the substantial additional physical structure of the protection system needed for each moving element of the system being protected which may interfere with operation of the protected system as well as incurring significant increased weight. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved restraint and protection system for delicate mechanisms, especially for those having many movable elements requiring protection.